A classic car is different. Aside from its timeless cool and look, when you go through the gears of a vintage sports car, you actually feel them connecting and it's as if you are having a conversation with the car. They have an intensely agricultural, mechanical feel that modern cars cannot match. Actually owning a classic car speaks volumes about your aesthetic and taste. If you were to drive a modern Ferrari, which, don't get me wrong, is a great car, essentially what it says about you is that you have great credit. To own a Ferrari 308, or a Dino 246, says a little bit more about you as a person. It indicates that you have panache. You're a risk-taker and willing to accept the responsibilities of a classic car, even if it means you can never be 100% sure you'll actually get to your destination in one piece or on time. If you look after them correctly, you'll be repaid with a greater driving experience. Here are my tips for getting the old lady down the road safely.

There are people that don't want to run their car. This breaks my heart. Unless you have no mileage and the car is brand new, the difference between 30,000 and 60,000 miles doesn't really matter. If you drive it all the time, all the components of the motor and the drivetrain stay in shape; gaskets don't dry out, the oil gets into the motor and keeps it lubricated, and they just run better. If you don't use it, you'll lose it.

I always tell people who have bought their first classic car, even if it's a sports car, that you have to remember they are old and the mechanics reflect that. I call it "mechanical sympathy". Your brakes are going to work a little slower, and when you step on the gas (which makes the cylinders fire), the cam spins and makes everything move quickly. Just be sensible. You don't have to wring a sports car up to the red line to feel the power.

You have to learn what period is correct with your car. American muscle cars are a really good example. They are bastardised. I really like 1966 Corvettes, but I would be hard-pressed to find one that hasn't been owned by 10 people who have made really poor changes, such as putting on gaudy wheels that don't match or swapping out the seats. If you change something you have to make sure it has the same aesthetic qualities. To mix up generations on cars is a big mistake.

Mr Prichinello's top three classic cars

A beautiful car in our fleet that we have modernised but kept very period-correct

The quintessential classic car. Enzo Ferrari said it's the only car that he wished had come off his assembly line

Classic cars don't always have to be beautiful saloons. I think vintage trucks are awesome. The Bronco will tackle anything